"The Tel Aviv [Israel] police fraud squad arrested on Sunday nine Israelis on suspicion of netting [stealing] millions of dollars from U.S. pensioners... Police raided an office in the city, which is suspected to have been the nerve center of the dodgy [criminal] enterprise. The defendants, all in their 20s and 30s, allegedly phoned American pensioners, told them they had won the lottery and asked them for a fee of several thousand dollars for the transfer of the prize money, which in fact never existed... Last week, it was reported that the American agencies had urged Israel Police to step up the extradition procedure of another ten Israelis who were suspected of scamming $2 million by similar means." -- Haaretz
Ripping off the unwary with the lure of unearned "gains", just like their cousins from Park Avenue. What's the difference? One avaricious fiddler is like another.
"Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor. But it's no great honor either! So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?
The most important men in town would come to fawn on me! They would ask me to advise them, like Solomon the Wise...
And it won't make one bit of difference if I answer right or wrong. When you're rich, they think you really know!"